Take A Stroll Through Illinois' Past At This Historic Farm Outside Chicago
By Linze Rice|Published November 28, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
Illinois has a rich history, glimpses of which are often still found in our small towns. However, it’s not every day that we get the opportunity to see history come to life as the present — yet that’s exactly the story of this incredible historic dairy farm in Glenview, Illinois. Once I discovered this gem not too far from my home in the Chicago suburbs, I knew I needed to add it to my bucket list.
Historic Wagner Farm is an 18.6-acre farm that's been in the Glenview community for more than 150 years and continues to run as a museum and dairy farm — one of the last of its kind in Cook County.
The farm was owned by a local family since their arrival in the United States from Germany in the 1850s and remained family-owned until 1997. In 2000, it was purchased and preserved by the Glenview Park District and now serves more than 140,000 visitors annually.
The homestead is now open to the public for tours, community events, and educational programs. The property consists of a 1920s farmhouse, the Heritage Center Museum, a sweets shop, pastures, barns, animals, souvenirs, and fresh produce for sale.
Kids also have plenty of opportunities to get hands-on experience with animals through school and scout programs, including milking cows, brushing horses, and shearing sheep.
From June through October, the Glenview Farmers Market sets up shop each Saturday, offering fresh fruits and veggies from the farm and the community. The farm also offers a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, where participants receive different bundles of locally grown food items. Don't forget the farm-fresh eggs!
And in the winter, it transforms into a snow-blanketed Christmas tree farm. Visitors can select their favorite evergreen and take it home for decoration, bringing a bit of local history along with them.
Make sure to grab a delicious ice cream cone from the Sweets & Treats shop inside the Heritage Center. Plus, you can also periodically pre-order pies — like apple, pumpkin, and chicken pot pie — from the farm.
Are you ready to visit this fun-filled historic dairy farm in Glenview, Illinois? Then check out the Historic Wagner Farm website and Facebook page for the most up-to-date info on hours and seasonal offerings. And before your family outing, why not coordinate with cute custom T-shirts? These top-rated personalized farm name T-shirts from Etsy come in sizes from toddler to adult in an array of colors and sizes.
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